Ksav v'HaKabbala(Shemos 33:19): Clear logical proofs that G‑d exists were already known to Moshe Rabbeinu either on his own or from tradition or G‑d Himself informed him as the Rambam notes (Moreh Nevuchim 1:63) that G‑d showed Moshe all the intellectual proofs that would convince the sages. However it is universally agreed – even the great philosophers of the world concede this point – that all the logical proofs concerning G‑d's existence are imperfect and weak. … All the things which we accept as truly existing are material objects that we can detect with our physical senses. Accordingly it is appropriate to find causal links between those things that we perceive with our senses and say that something is the cause and something else the effect. However we don't look for an immaterial or intellectual construct as the cause…. According to this even if we accept the Rambam's view that Moshe knew all the logical proofs that G‑d exists and that He is a unity and that there is no other deity and even if we accept that Moshe taught the people all these proofs – nevertheless when it happened that some of the Jews greatly erred and sought out a false god – all the intellectual teaching that they had received did not help them concerning G‑d's true unity. Therefore [after the sin of the Golden Calf] Moshe now asked from G‑d to show him His Glory. Moshe wanted to understand and comprehend the true reality of His existence in the world with intellectual proofs that were far beyond the grasp of the ordinary intellect. In other words he wanted an intellectual comprehension which transcended a grounding in physicality and the senses. He wanted an abstract proof which needed no reference to common physical reality experience. This understanding of the Rambam can readily be seen in the various writings of the Rambam even though he doesn't say it directly…
One must avoid proofs of God's existence because faith demand a lack of proof (otherwise you don't need faith) and a Jew lives by faith.
ReplyDeleteFrom Douglas Adams' "The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy":
"But," says Man, "the Babel fish is a dead giveaway isn't it? It could not have evolved by chance. It proves you exist, and therefore, by your own arguments, you don't. QED."
"Oh dear," says God, "I hadn't thought of that," and promptly vanishes in a puff of logic.
"Oh, that was easy," says Man, and for an encore goes on to prove that black is white and gets killed on the next zebra crossing.”
or - why has Nevuah disappeared for the past 2500 years? And even when it did exist, it didn't prevent idolatry, so why should a proof work today?
ReplyDeleteNevuah disappeared when the yetzer for avodah zarah was eliminated.
ReplyDeleteNot according to Rambam
ReplyDeletethis was a chiddush of the Gra possibly?
ReplyDeleteIsn't it a gemara?
ReplyDeleteMaybe
ReplyDeleteMy understanding was that the only effective counter for the yetzer for AZ was nevuah and when the yetzer was removed, the ongoing persistence of nevuah would interfere in Man's free search for God.
ReplyDeleteI have heard that in the name of the Gra -
ReplyDeleteas long as it is not a gemara, it is a ridiculous claim.
Rambam writes that Nevuah is the most natural state of mankind and devotes an important part of his Guide to expanding on Nevuah. Perhaps the Gra is having a go at the Rambam, who may have implied that some sacrifices at least, were a concession to our desire for AZ. the Gra likes to be a misnagid not only to the chassidim, but also to the philosophy of the Rambam.